Rooster chasing and attacking Ducks

My roosters fly over the gate and get in with our ducks and they will chase them down and get on top of them like they are mating and attack our ducks. I can't catch them to clip their wings so any other ideas?

Katiesduckies said:

My roosters fly over the gate and get in with our ducks and they will chase them down and get on top of them like they are mating and attack our ducks. I can't catch them to clip their wings so any other ideas?

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Most have it the other way around drakes chasing down chicken hens and mating them ,other than clipping wings I'd say a cover of some kind on the chicken side or duck side top, bird netting works real well. And

Catch your boys after they have gone to roost for the evening and clip their wings. Trying to catch a chicken running around the yard just stresses the bird, makes you look silly, and gets your neighbors laughing at you.

How old are your ducks? My ducks run the show around here. The boys tried once to go after one of the ducks and my other (I only had 2 at the time) lit them both up. Upon occasion I have to break up a drake/rooster fight because he walked into the pond area, but that is rare.

If all else fails, a fishing net works wonders to catch birds . . . the hand held kind with a circle of net at the end of the handle. You still have to rush around but it is a lot faster. If you can catch the roos in the coop though, that is far easier. I'd think clipping wings would be the first idea.

Poor ducks! My roos have never had an interest in breeding with ducks -- mostly they leave the ducks alone. They are pretty old for roosters though, so maybe they are mellowing.

I'm really not sure how old my ducks are I got them from someone. They definantly arent babies though!! But yeah the rooster gets on them and attacks them as if they were mating but he's doing that to male ducks too!! it really hurts them one died because of it!! and yes i do look silly chasing the stupid roo around to get him out of the ducks area i cant get them at night I have a really bad set up for a coop you cant get in it without crawling in through a small hole lol and they go into their run at night sometimes then you really cant get to them!! lol thanks for all the tips!

I have been fighting this problem too. I let everyone free range and I even culled my roosters last year because they did it. This is only our 3rd year with fowl. I started with some dual purpose chickens but the roosters in the bunch were so "duck affectionate" they hurt and killed a duck. So last year I bought some Orpington's, hoping to beef up my flock since I found my "dual purpose" birds were great layers but pretty tiny to eat. I culled the first year's duck loving dual purpose roosters and put them to better use in my kitchen thinking the Orpington cockerels could service the ladies this year... Nope. All they want is duck. I put my best Orpington's together in a "private honeymoon suite" for three weeks hoping to get some little ones to hatch. Not even ONE of the eggs were fertilized. When I turned them loose, he ran like crazy and was all, "Duck, duck duck! Duck, duck, duck!" SMH. In the meantime, someone I know bought an Old English Bantam rooster for a "pet," not realizing apparently that chickens poop, a lot, and everywhere. I took "Rooty" in, thinking the poor guy would be the little misfit tag along. Nope. He is THE rooster. He runs the flock, the hens love him, follow him, grouped around him everywhere he goes. He's teeny tiny, so they actually lay down for him to mount them. ***sigh*** Bantam x Dual Purpose crosses do NOT = Meatier birds. And the Orpington's are off buggering the ducks bald! So much for them. The kids won't let me find a new home for the prolific "Rooty" who makes sure ALL eggs are fertilized! The Orpington's are going in a pot. I invested in 20 Australorps with 2 cockerels last month. I'm keeping them separate from the ducks and Rooty's flock until after they are laying well and the roosters are proving to be doing their job. Unless, of course I figure out how to stop the madness before hand.

Did you ever find a solution to your duck loving roosters?

I am having the same problem my two roosters keep ganging up on my ducks and my male ducks do nothing to protect them. Im not sure what to do, I free range both my chickens and ducks but now my ducks are too scared to stay in the yard. Im debating on culling at least one of the roosters so I can get some chicks this spring.